Adelle
by FaronWoods
Summary: Not every girl has a gerudo and a wolf for friends. Not every girl is on a quest to save Hyrule. Not every girl is accused of witchcraft, But this girl intends to tell the story as SHE lived it, so if you have a problem with strong opinions, read no more.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Prologue**

Rain pelted the windows of Hyrule Castle, the water cascading over the tall blue spires of the immense building like waterfalls. Thunder rumbled in the black clouds and lightning threatened to set the entire structure on fire, but most of the servants who worked there didn't seem to notice. They all seemed much too busy. They were all running through the halls at top speed, most carrying things. No one even took a glance at the sky. That is, no one except a short, brown-eyed girl with a basket held in front of her. In fact, she wasn't just glancing at the storm, she was _staring _at the storm with a frown on her face. She didn't like the looks of it. There had been a lot of these lately, most of them occurring out of practically nowhere.

"I think it's another one of those creepy Snowpeak thunderstorms. What about you, Ada?"

The girl turned. The one who had addressed her as "Ada" was a very tall blonde woman with green-blue eyes. The brown-eyed girl regarded the woman for a moment before saying, "I think…that we had better keep an eye on the weather. That last stroke of lightning nearly set Zelda's tower aflame." The woman blinked. "I suppose you're right. But what are you doing watching the weather? You're supposed to be helping us bring dirty laundry to the washroom."

"I'm doing something much more important, so I'm afraid dirty laundry will have to wait."

The blonde haired lady frowned. "What exactly _are _you doing?" The girl shrugged and answered, "I'm watching for a fire." The lady sighed and situated the basket she was carrying more comfortably on her waist and picked up the girl's. "Fine, then," she said, "I'll carry yours too, but just this once!" and walked away. "I'll be seeing you, Ada."

The brown-eyed girl turned her attention back to the window, leaning on a pillar. _"It's not Ada," _she thought, _"It's Adelle."_ But Adelle soon abandoned this thought and stared at the darkened sky, her mind wandering off to thoughts of the stories her father used to tell her, of stories about the boy who could control time and weather.


	2. Chapter 2

**Paper: This one is longer, thankfully, and is focusing more on the source of the never-ending storms.**

**Pens: And here is the disclaimer for yal!**

**(Door blasts open)**

**Yxme24: WHERE"S MY RAMEN?!?!? (Looks around)**

**Yxme24: Oh… Um… Hi guys… This isn't the lair of my arch nemesis, is it?…**

**(PensAndPaper shake their heads)**

**Yxme24: Didn't think so… Oops! I'll pay for the door you know. So, whatcha' doing?**

**Pens: We were just about to do the disclaimer… Unless yal wanted to?**

**Paper: DO EET!!! DO EET NAUW!!!! XD**

**Yxme24: PensAndPaper do not own the Legend of Zelda series! If they did… God help us all…**

Chapter 2: Of storm cloud songs.

Skullkid skipped through the sacred grove, swinging his lantern and horn and humming the little tune he loved to play on it. His orange eyes glowed luminescent through the midnight mist. He didn't need them to, but Skullkid was one of the sole inhabitants of the forest, the only others he knew of being fairies and the puppets he summoned from the earth with music, and if he got lost in the dark without his trusty lantern, he wouldn't have anyone to help him navigate in the dark.

"I'm so _bored_!" He whined, sitting down on the tree-bridge he had led the wolf over so many years ago in a ruthless game of hide-and-seek. He sighed, "I want wolfie. Where is he, anyways? He was so fun to play with!" He sat there and swung his legs back and forth, his childish little mind wandering from one subject and to the next, from wolfie to swords to acorns to muffins… And then he was thinking about wolfie again, and decided to play his horn.

The eerie, buzzing music echoed throughout the entire grove, waking every solitary thing that inhabited the place very annoyed. High-pitched voices rang through the woods from various directions, all of them directed at Skullkid.

"KEEP IT DOWN! SOME OF US ARE TRYING TO SLEEP!" One shouted angrily.

"I'm trying to _get some rest!_" Another whined, while a kinder voice said,

"Hey…listen, Skullkid, pal, it's not that we don't _like_ you or your music, it's just that it's _very_ late at night and we _all_ ought to be asleep at such an hour. Go get some rest."

Skullkid smiled feebly in the direction of the voice. Navi was right. He should have been sleeping. He had forgotten that all the fairies were, too. So he shouldered his horn and skipped away, humming very softly.

The path to Skullkid's tree was very windy and confusing, but the forest boy knew it by heart. He was looking at the ground for pretty stones, colorful leaves, or even arrows that the tall person with the funny hat might of left. These small objects were highly thought of by Skullkid, for each new thing he found was another new thing to play with and pass the time.

But what Skullkid found was far more wonderful than any trinket he had ever discovered.

It was a thing. It was deep blue and had ten holes on its front and two – no, three - holes in the back.

Skullkid set down his lantern and picked up the object, giggling with delight as he turned it over in his hands. It was cool to the touch and shone in the light, especially around a protruding rectangular part that had a band of silver metal wrapped around it. And when he inspected this silver band further, he found that it had gold in it- three yellow triangles connected to form one bigger triangle with a silver one in the middle. Skullkid did a little dance and stuffed it into a run-down bag made of plant fibers, determined to reach his tree before someone stole his… whatever it was.

Skullkid picked up his bag and lantern in the same hand and ran all the way back to his tree.

Skullkid slept up in one of the leafier trees of the forest where he had strung a small, woven, hammock-like mat and a stolen blanket. Navi had helped him make it, and it was suitable enough for Skullkid. As he clambered into it and pulled the blanket over him, he inspected his trinket thoroughly, finally reaching the conclusion that it was some sort of musical instrument. Skullkid loved musical instruments. He tucked it into his pocket and closed his glowing orange eyes, wondering how he was supposed to play it. Oh well… it could wait until, say… noon.


	3. Chapter 3

**Pens: (Twiddling thumbs) So… no one to do the disclaimer.**

**Paper: Right yal are. **

**Pens: … hm… How about Midna Hytwilian? She reviewed the last chapter and seemed to like our story… **

Paper: Yeah! I type Kirby to celebrate. And I do not own Kirby! (o o)

**Pens: (types letter to Midna Hytwilian asking her to do the disclaimer) Okay! Now we wait.**

**(Doors explode and Midna Hytwilian runs into PensAndPaper's room) **

**Midna Hytwilian: Le gasp! I've been chosen to do a disclaimer!**

**Yxme24: Hey! I paid for that door! D=**

**Midna Hytwilian: Man oh man, I don't even like doing these on my own stories... Pens and Paper don't own any familiar characters: for if they did, you would know. The Legend of Zelda is owned by Nintendo, who refuses to email me back about Vaati. Damn them…**

Chapter 3

Gabrielle looked back at Ada with a mixture of interest and confusion. The strange young thing was staring at the window as if nothing had happened to interrupt her vigilant watch of the clouds. And in truth, almost nothing had. The short exchange of words Gabrielle had with the girl had been one of the fruitless attempts at conversation Gabrielle often undertook. Time and time again Gabrielle tried to get Ada to talk to her, but the said servant had an uncanny way of rendering such things impossible. Many of the other laundry maids asked Gabrielle why she even tried, and she always gave the same answer.

_Because Ada needs a friend, _Gabrielle said to herself, _Nayru knows she hasn't got many right now, and with her parents gone, who's going to look after her?_

Gabrielle turned around and started walking towards the laundry room, wondering why in Hyrule she had decided to take Ada's basket of dirty clothes for her. It was just as heavy as her own, and the extra weight was not at all welcome.

_Oh well, _Gabrielle thought, sighing and turning a corner, _it's only for today. _

She walked down some spiral stairs, opened a door, and sneezed as the harsh scent of ammonia, bleach, and soap filled her freckly nose. Gabrielle hated the steam-filled room more than anywhere else in Hyrule Castle. It was hot, wet, smelly. All the things Gabrielle despised rolled into one. Yet the maid walked on without complaint, emptying the two wicker baskets into a tub of hot, soapy water and grabbing a stick.

Gabrielle stirred the steaming vat idly, pouring a little lemon juice into it to make it smell nice. As she stirred, water sloshed onto Gabrielle's crisp white apron, making the pretty blonde washerwoman groan with uncharacteristic annoyance. Water. She had had enough of it. Since the storm, everyone had gotten fed up with water. It was all rain, rain, rain, day after day. Two weeks of rain was enough. When would it _stop_?

(Insert Divider here)

Adelle looked around, got up, and walked towards the kitchens, going over in her mind which cooks were pushovers, which cooks required the "puppy dog look", and which cooks would hit her with a spoon if she asked for anything. Even though she didn't intend to be caught, it was Adelle's nature to be ready for anything. She had been working in Hyrule Castle many years, and had learned quickly how to deal with certain servants.

Adelle snuck into the kitchens and looked around. It was almost completely deserted, except for-

" Omigosh! It's like, just me, Olivia! What are you doing here Adey? I mean, like, what do you need? "

Ada groaned and slumped against the wall as the pretty cook walked over to her. Olivia had to be the most annoying, shallowest, self-centered person ever to walk the planet. She was also the most popular servant anywhere.

Adelle couldn't stand her.

Olivia twirled a strand of her perfect black hair around her index finger, smiling and showing off her glossy pink lips.

"Omigosh, Adey, did you hear about Bambi? They say that she's, like, some Gerudo or something. But I really don't care what _they_ think, as long as I find out the truth about whether or not she's dating Cara's brother. "

Anger rose up in Adelle, and she frowned at the shallow little kid, but Olivia didn't seem to notice. How could anyone talk about Bambi like that? Bambi hadn't done anything wrong, and she was hardly ever mean to anyone.

"Speaking of Bambi, did you know that she snuck out the other da-"

"I really don't care, Olivia. And I highly doubt Bambi did any of those things. However, if she did, then it's really none of our business, isn't it?" Adelle said,

Olivia frowned. She then turned on her heel and walked back to where she had been washing dishes.

As soon as she was out of the annoying maid's sight, she started running through the castle.

Or perhaps a more accurate word would be sprinting. She had the air of someone who did not want to be followed or seen, like a thief stalking through the halls of a wealthy family's home. Her feet made loud banging noises on the cold wood floors, but the way Adelle saw it, nothing and no one cared one bit about her and her unusual habits, so even if she _was _seen- which she _wouldn't _be - not a soul who noticed would bother going after her. After all, she was weird, she was antisocial, she was this, she was that. No one wanted anything to do with her, and quite frankly, Adelle liked it that way.

As soon as she was into the courtyard, where it was still raining, she ran towards the gates. When she saw that they were closed, she groaned and started trying to shove them open. Her hands pressed against the age-worn wood with every ounce of her strength, but they refused to budge.

After a couple minutes of pushing against the ridiculously large door, Adelle sighed and folded her arms over her chest.

"They must be locked." She said, started to feel very discouraged.

"They're not locked." Adelle looked up. Bright golden eyes were staring at her from on top of the wall. Adelle's eyebrows rose as a dark-skinned girl leapt from on top of the bricks to the ground. Her hair was a brilliant red that usually stood up in unruly spikes, but it was now flat against her head with rainwater. "You're just not shoving them in the right place."

"Bambi, what are you doing here?" Adelle said, annoyed.

The girl – Bambi – shrugged and put her wet hands in her pockets. "I was about to ask you the same thing."

Adelle was silent, as she looked the other girl straight in the eye. Then she said, "It's no one's business but mine as to why I'm sneaking out, and it's no one's business but yours as to why you were sitting on the wall. I just need to get out of this place for a few moments. I feel like I'm in a prison."

To Adelle's surprise, Bambi seemed to buy it entirely. "I see," she said,

Adelle became full of relief.

"But I'm entitled to be curious. Where are you going?" Bambi continued.

Adelle's spirits fell and she shrugged. "Out," she said.

"As in out of the courtyard, or out of Castle Town in a whole?" Bambi's eyes glinted with knowing. "You've got food with you, too. Why?"

Adelle's sighed. Bambi was smarter than she looked. Reluctantly, Adelle said, "Out of Castle Town."

"Why would you want to do that?"

"It's none of your business."

"But I'm the only one here who knows how to open that gate." Bambi smiled at her.

Adelle pinched the bridge of her nose. "I'm not going to tell you why I'm going out," she said, getting very irritated, "So we're accomplishing nothing by just standing here in the rain and having this argument. Just open the gate, please."

There was a long pause. Adelle wringed out her now-soaked hair and looked at Bambi expectantly.

Bambi couldn't argue with that logic, so the red-haired youth placed her olive hands on the gate and opened it with a shove.

As soon as it was opened, Adelle ran through the gap and into Castle Town.

(Insert Divider here)

Pens: You like? We know it's still pretty short, but whatever! Yxme24 complained.

(Bambi Appears)

Bambi: If you read and review, you get a beignet!

Pens: A delicious, powdered-sugar drowned beignet, from Café Due Monde!

Paper: So, Read and Review, okay? If not, I will make you eat this onion!


	4. Chapter 4

**Pens: *Yawn* so… it's about… what time is it, Paper?**

**Paper: I can't tell time. O_O**

**Pens: What?**

**Paper: But I'm guessing it's like, three something.**

**Pens: (yawning) Sleepy… -_-**

**(falls off of couch and lands on cat) **

**Paper: Pens! Yal are flattening Buddy with your emo-ness! **

**Pens: Huh?**

**Buddy: Get of me!**

**Pens: Narnian cat! =O**

**Paper: Looks like it's up to me.**

**(updates story) **

**Paper: We don't own the Legend of Zelda or the Narnia series. I wish we did, though. =3 Enjoy!**

Adelle grimaced to herself as she looked around Castle Town. It was full of bars, pollution, criminals, and thieves, but it hadn't always been like that. Adelle sighed as she remembered how great it used to be. After the Hero of Twilight's defeat of Ganondorf, Castle Town had entered an undisturbed time of peace and relief. All the bandits and criminals that roamed the streets had feared that the brave hero would beat them into shape if they didn't keep their rear in gear, and all the monsters had fled to the remote lands of the Gerudo Desert. Those were the days when Adelle felt safe out of the Castle. When the other kids could play tag in Hyrule Field and not be afraid of being kidnapped or mugged. But after the Hero's disappearance, it all changed again. The criminals started getting braver. The Bulblins came back from the desert and the monsters infested the land and roamed it freely. Adelle knew this just as well as anyone in Castle Town, but that didn't stop her from opening the gate and walking warily out into the green-covered field.

Adelle sighed as the smell of grass and plants filled her nose, and she stood there breathing steadily and letting the rain soak her to the bone. Her calm serenity was interrupted by a low growling. She turned around, looking annoyed, and found a scrawny-looking wolf standing there, his ebony fur dripping wet from rainwater and his blue eyes gleaming intelligently. Adelle wasn't alarmed by this in the slightest. She just looked irritated.

"Really, wolf," she said, rolling her eyes, "I go to all the trouble of stealing you kitchen food and sneaking out the castle, and you thank me by growling?" she shook her head in disbelief. The wolf whined and sat down, his tail wagging expectantly. Adelle sighed and pulled the loaf of bread out her. She waved it in front of his nose, making the beast's tongue hang out his mouth, and tossed it into the air. He caught it delicately between his teeth then set it down and finished it off in two bites. Adelle laughed.

"For Din's sake, don't eat so fast!" she said, ruffling his fur. "What's wrong with you, wolf? Are you afraid it'll get soggy or something?"

As if in reply, the wolf stood up and shook himself vigorously, sending little droplets of water flying in all directions. Adelle laughed.

"How's it that you're such a handsome wolf, but still so mischievous?" she said, wiping raindrops out her face so as to better see the creature in front of her.

He had ebony fur and brown markings on his face. A swirling white patch of fur decorated each his flanks and his paws, curling at his shoulders and making it all the easier to count his ribs. A little swirled marking adorned his forehead, resting over and between his blue eyes. He was, indeed, a handsome beast, save for his bedraggled neck fur and bur-flecked tail.

Adelle began to feel a bit hungry herself, and she took her apple out her pocket and took a bite from it.

The noise made the wolf look up and wag his tail, obviously expecting more food.

Adelle shook her head, saying, "You're a wolf. Wolves don't like apples." She yawned, "My father used to say that wolves liked raw meat, naughty children, and biscuits soaked in blood."

The wolf barked in protest, his ears twitching in what must have been annoyance. The look in his eyes was a sickened one.

Adelle shrugged, "That's what he said." she took another bite out her apple and then looked up at the darkened sky.

The wolf followed her gaze and stared at the clouds, too, watching a bolt of lightning zigzag from one cloud to another.

"That storm's getting worse. I had better go," Adelle said, standing up and throwing the core of her apple into the grass.

She scratched the wolf between the ears. "See you later, buddy. Chase some rabbits. Wolves do that, right?"

Adelle then turned around, starting to walk away, but stopped when she saw who stood there.

Right in front of her, face looking astonished and fearful, was Olivia.

**(Insert Divider Here)**

Skullkid giggled in delight as another storm cloud brewed in the sky, splattering rain onto his face and the tree he was sitting in.

Then the grey mass sped away, letting the sun shine again. Skullkid didn't really know _where _the clouds went, but they just did.

"_Probably to the rest of the world,_" Skullkid thought, stretching.

He looked down at his new favorite toy. It was glimmering in the light, its blue finish shining brightly. The metal around the neck of the little whistle had aquired a few scratches from Skullkid dropping it from the top of his tree, but it was otherwise unharmed and looked just as magnificent as it did when the forest boy had first discovered it.

Skullkid wondered if there were other songs. He learned the stormy one by accident, and it was really cool, but it was getting boring. It only did one thing, and that was make rain and big thundery sounds. He wondered if there was a song that could control fire. Skullkid liked fire, but only when it was little. He found it very entertaining. It was shiny, moved around, and bit sharply whenever he tried to pick it up. It was like a little glowing animal.

Skullkid walked over to his hammock, sat down, and started to experiment.

**(Insert divider here) **

Adelle's eyes widened.

"Olivia! What are you – that wasn't what it looked like, I can explain." Adelle moved forward, but Olivia backed away and held her hands up in front of her, looking terrified.

"Get AWAY from me, witch! I'm going to call the guards, so you had better get away right now!" she shouted, her brown eyes full of fear.

Adelle realized that Olivia was going to tell everyone she knew that Adelle was a monster or a dark sorceress.

The wolf came up behind the brown-haired youth, looking confused. Adelle rested her hand on his shoulders to keep him from getting any closer to Olivia.

Olivia gave a little scream.

"You're_ touching_ that thing! You were feeding that – that – MONSTER?" she shouted, turning and starting to run away. Adelle tackled her to the ground, trying desperately to convince the silly maid that she was _not _a witch, and that the wolf was _not _a monster, but Olivia kicked her in the stomach and sprinted off, looking as if she was running for her life.

Adelle sat there on the bridge leading to Castle Town, not knowing whether or not she should follow Olivia.

Adelle sighed and stroked the wolf's fur.

"I can't go back to the castle now," she said, shaking her head, "The guards will be suspicious and wary of me all the time. I'll probably be fired. I can't run away. I don't have a weapon or anything. There's nothing for me to do but sit here and wait for something to happen."

Adelle stared up into the rain.

"I feel so helpless."


	5. Chapter 5

**Pens: We're back! Sorry we haven't updated in a while; my computer went on strike and it took me forever to dictate the story to Paper. It was my turn to do the chapter. ;D**

**Paper: (sob) **

**Yxme24: What's Paper's problem? **

**Paper: Whaaaa! My onion of death! NOOOOO!**

**Pens: One of our reviewers chopped up her onion and fried it with meat. :I**

**Yxme: Oh. O.O**

**.. : PensAndPaper don't own The Legend of Zelda, for if they did, they wouldn't bother making fanfiction and would just include it into a game directly. NOW will you update?**

**Pens: Yes, we will. Thanks to Yxme24 for his ideas. And... um... pretty much all our reviewers, actually. For motivation... and stuff... Kay, bye. **

**Paper: Enjoy the chapter. (Sob)**

_**-{Insert Divider Here}-**_

Zelda sat at her desk, looking out the window and pondering what to do. Earlier that morning, a guard had come into her study, bringing news of a servant named Adelle practicing Dark Magic and taking care of an evil monster outside of Castle Town's gates. It was well-known that there was still darkness in Hyrule - There always would be - but ever since the Hero's dissappearence, her subjects had been much more suspicous of any strange happenings or monster attacks, inside the town or elsewhere.

Zelda would, under normal circumstances, just position a few more soldiers at Castle Town's gates and tell her army to be on their guard, but these were not normal circumstances. This was one of Zelda's own servants, one who had been in Hyrule Castle for most of her life, who, according to the guards, had been seen with a monster, and been taking caring of it.

Zelda was particularly interested in the monster. It was always possible that it wasn't a monster at all, but a normal animal or even a stray dog. But as Zelda had gotten no real details on the said 'monster's' appearence, she couldn't be sure.

Zelda got up and decided to ask her guards exactly what the beast had looked like. If it was such a thing as a bulbin or another such dangerous, blood-loving monster, then she could allow it to be destroyed and then adress the servant who had been caring for it. If not, than she would let the servant go about her daily business. Feeding a stray dog wasn't a threat to Hyrule at all, but taking care of a bulbin or practicing Dark Magic _was_.

The Princess got up and walked out of her study, her eyes scanning the halls for a soldier or a servant who would know where Byron - her General - was.

A small boy walked past, his arms laden with saddles and horse tack. His hazel eyes widened when he saw Zelda looking at him.

"Y-your Highness! Can I help you? I mean, um-." he stammered, but Zelda saved him from any further embarassment by quickly asking where her General was.

"In the armory, your Highness," the boy said, "Looking at swords."

"Thank you," Zelda said, "That will be all."

The boy gave a quick bow and scurried off, nearly tripping in his haste.

Zelda turned and started down a flight of stairs, noticing the recent masonry that had been done on the steps. The staircase had an odd patchwork look, since some pieces of it were quite new and much whiter than the rest of it. Seeing how the flight of stairs was recently just bits of stone clinging precariously to the edges of the hall, Zelda wasn't complaining, but they brought back memories of what the Princess' beloved Castle had once housed.

Zelda sighed. _"Ganondorf is gone, but his presence still remains," _she thought as she reached the end of the staircase. There were two doors on the sides of the wider hall that stood before her, and Zelda opened the one on the left.

She found Byron standing inside, testing the balance of swords and looking very idle.

The General was a tall, intimidating soldier, with heavy muscles and several scars all over his face and arms. His eyes were experienced and his expression was stoic and burly.

He turned and bowed, rising when Zelda adressed him.

"Byron, I am quite sure you heard the rumors of a monster and a witch outside Castle Town."

"Indeed, your majesty. They're troubling." Byron frowned, looking deep in thought.

Zelda said, "I'd like to know what this monster looked like."

Byron was silent for a moment.

"Like a wolf," he said, "But with a mane. Long, sharp teeth. Wicked claws. Black and white fur. The witness said it looked half-starved, and she claimed that this beast had dry blood all over its face. There was also a prison shackle on its wrist."

Zelda was almost unable to comprehend it. The Hero was still alive. _Link was in Hyrule._

"Byron," Zelda said with a commanding tone to her usually gentle voice, "This beast and this servant must be found. Have you looked for them?"

Byron frowned. "No, your majesty. Some of the soldiers aren't too willing to go out there," he answered.

"Well then, order them to find this Adelle and this wolf. And they are not to harm them, Byron. Bring them to Hyrule Castle."

"Um," Byron said, "The girl goes to her usual servant's quarters, and the monster to a prison cell, am I correct?"

Zelda shook her head. "No," she answered, "The wolf is to stay in its own room, and no one who is not concerned in this matter shall hear of it. See to it that all of this is carried out."

With that, Zelda turned and walked out of the armory, feeling relieved at Link's return. But this relief was interrupted by the sound of running feet.

Zelda turned around only in time to catch a glimpse of brilliant red hair.

_"Evesdropping,"_ she thought, dissappointed. _"Now the entire Castle's bound to know before sundown." _Zelda sighed. _"Oh, well. Nothing I can do about it now."_

**-{Insert Divider Here}-**

Bambi ran as fast as her feet could carry her away from Princess Zelda, heading for the Castle's exit. Adelle had to know what Bambi had just heard, or she would probably run when she saw guards coming for her. If the guards saw _that_, then it would be as good as Adelle shouting, 'I'm a witch, come and get me!'

Bambi slowed her pace as she neared the huge double-doors that led to Castle Town. Her spirits sank when she saw that it was guarded by two soldiers.

_"Shit," _she thought, _"Now how am I supposed to be conspicuous?" _

Bambi put on her innocent face and walked towards the gates, praying to all three Goddesses that the guards would let her pass unquestioned.

The goddesses, apparently, didn't give a damn what Bambi wanted.

"Hey, hey, hey-" said the one on the left, "What's your business outside the Castle?"

"Um... I'm meeting my friend at the market," Bambi lied quickly, "It's her birthday, and I don't want to be late. We were going to go shopping."

The guards stared at her for a moment. The man on the right shrugged.

"Fine," he said, elbowing the gate open, "Go be a kid."

Bambi thanked him and darted out the doors, leaving the Castle behind and racing down the slope into the main town.

There were idle gossipers standing around, and Bambi was able to catch parts of their conversations as she walked past.

"-heard there was a Sorceress outside these very walls! The thought of a-" one blonde lady began.

"Monsters in our land? A mountain hunt would do them good! Why, back in my day-" an old man answered to his daughter's statement of, "There were beasts in Hyrule Field today, father."

Bambi ignored them and walked out of Castle Town's gate, passing a man in a robe who was asking for donations.

The air outside the city was clean and cool, as if all the pollution from Castle Town had been washed away by the storms and rain. Bambi walked across the bridge, noticing that the water in the moat - usually invisible by the sheer depth of the trench - was so high she could have dangled one arm over the side of the bridge and brushed its glassy surface with her fingertips.

When she trotted down the stone stairs and onto the grass, she groaned in annoyance. The ground was marshy and soaked from the previous storms, and her socks and feet were being soaked. Bambi hitched up the hem of her formless skirt and walked thruogh the puddles and mud, calling out Adelle's name.

Naturally, there was no answer, but it was worth a shot.

Bambi searched for several minutes, eventually finding Adelle asleep against a tree, a very large wolf snoring by her side. Adelle's hand was on the beast's neck, so Bambi had to assume it was friendly.

"Adelle, wake up." Bambi said loudly, shaking Adelle's shoulders.

Adelle blinked, her eyes first looking bleary but then surprised.

"Bambi? What're you doing here?" she asked, taking her hand off of the wolf's neck.

"Adelle, everyone's heard about you and your..." Bambi looked at the still-sleeping wolf, "Dog. Zelda's ordered you brought to the Castle at once."

Adelle's brown eyes widened, and she got up, but Bambi stopped her.

"No, no! Not like that! Zelda doesn't accuse you of anything, but if you run and the guards see you, it'll look like you've got something to hide. That'll just make matters worse," Bambi explained.

Adelle looked at the wolf.

"It's not me I'm worried about," she said, crouching down and scratching the furry beast behind the ears.

Bambi shook her head, saying, "Zelda's actually told the General not to hurt your dog. She's even given it its own quarters."

Adelle gave her a disbelieving look.

Bambi stared right back.

"Alright, so our ruler's officially lost her mind. Anything else you need to tell me?" Adelle said.

Bambi shrugged, "That's about it. But I think _you _have a little explaining to do."

Adelle gave her an icy look.

"Hey, if it wasn't for me, you'd probably be eternally labeled as a witch or some sort of demon in disguise," Bambi said.

Adelle turned away from her, and there was a long pause before she finally started speaking.

"I was taking a walk one night and I found him alone under this tree, half-dead from moblin arrows. It was before the storms started," she answered, " So I started bringing him food and some simple medicine herbs I stole from the infirmary wing of the Castle. He got well, but apparently wouldn't hunt or kill anything at all, so I just kept feeding him until it became a habit."

Bambi nodded, "So you're a theif," she said.

Adelle was silent.

"Quick tip," Bambi said, "Don't take so much that it's obvious, have a good explenation ready as for what you're doing in case you're caught, and under no circumstances should you ever admit to stealing."

Adelle blinked. She seemed unsure as to how to react to this. For once in her life, sharp-tongued Adelle did not have a clever comeback ready.

"I was a theif, too," Bambi explained, "Enough said."

Their conversation was interrupted by the faint clanking of armor.

Bambi looked over her shoulder. Three soldiers, led by the General, were coming towards them.

"Well, I'll just hide for a moment and wait for them to leave before going back," the olive-skinned girl decided, walking off to a larger tree and stepping to its left where the soldiers wouldn't notice her.

Adelle turned to the wolf and shook him awake. The beast looked up and his blue eyes were clouded with grogginess.

"Get up, boy," Adelle said, "We're going to Hyrule Castle."

The wolf yawned, stretched, and shook itself, sending its fur sticking up in all directions where it was damp with mud and water. Adelle put her hands in front of her face, looking annoyed.

"Do you really have to do that all the time? I'm already just as wet as you are, so what's the point?"

Bambi had to admit that Adelle was right. The girl's skirt - the same uniform lavander as the rest of Hyrule Castle's maids - was covered in grass stains and had muddy water all along its edge and the rear of it, the usually crisp apron drenched. Her white blouse was the same, only it also had dirt covering the elbows and was completely soaked on the back.

Adelle's head turned as one of the soldiers - they were now very close - hefted his spear at the sight of the wolf. The beast growled, only stopping when Adelle gave it a warning glance.

The larger soldier, one that Bambi knew to be called, "Byron", glared at the soldier who had threatened the wolf, saying to him, "Remeber Princess Zelda's orders."

Adelle became the tiniest bit afraid, and she put her hand on the wolf's neck for reassurance.

"Adelle Terra," Byron announced, his soldiers behind him, "Her Royal Highness Princesss Zelda has ordered that you be brought to Hyrule Castle at once."

Adelle didn't answer, just nodded numbly. So they were going to kill her wolf, were they? She would tell him to make a run for it as soon as they neared the path to-

"And... this... beast, as well," Byron added.

Adelle shrugged and followed them back to Castle Town, her mind racing to figure out if what Bambi had said was true. She most certainly wasn't going to start talking... she would talk only to Zelda about this, and Nayru only knows what they would ask _Adelle_... but it was so confusing she was tempted to blurt out a question as to what was going on.

She figured that it was just one of those times when all you could do was wait to see what happened and pray to the Goddesses it would happen in your favor.

_**-{Insert Divider Here}-**_

Skullkid placed a green leaf on the wet sandy ground near his favorite swimming hole, the only dry thing he could see.

Taking out his... er... whatever it was, he concentrated on the leaf with his undivided... well, not totally undivided, since he was kinda thinking about slingshots... seven-year-old attention span, bringing the whatever-it-was to his lips and beginning to play a quick, easy tune that was much simpler than the stormy one.

The leaf began to smoke, a little hole burning its way through the plant fibers.

Then this hole began to glow, a bright red color appearing on the edgess and sending even more smoke curling from the leaf.

As Skullkid brought the song to an end, the leaf finally burst into flames, like an ant under a piece of old glass or a tree struck by lightning. It curled and blackened there, becoming charred bits of dry, unidentifiable matter that crumbled when Skullkid poked them with his horn, making the forest boy laugh at the wonder of his new toy, the... whistle...thing.

He hadn't told Navi about it yet. She always took away anything fun that he found, such as a small stone knife or a flint-and-iron he had discovered before. The former had been able to carve wood into fantastic shapes, the latter had created a shower of dancing sparks, but Skullkid was certain that his new whistle could do both.

Skullkid picked up another leaf from the small pile near his foot and st it down in front of him, beginning to play his song again.

_**-{Insert Divider Here}-**_

The ebony-colored beast walked through Hyrule Castle, following close behind Adelle and looking extremely nervous. His hackles were raised and he appeared ready to attack at any moment. The soldiers who were escorting them were no different from the wolf. The grip they had on their weapons was tight and anxious, and their eyes kept glancing at the two through metal masks.

Adelle noticed her companion's discomfort and gave him a pat on the head.

"Oh, calm down," she said, forcing a sarcastic tone, "The only thing _you _need to be afraid of here is our cleaning maids. They won't be happy when they see what you did to their precious imported carpet."

The wolf whined and stopped suddenly, making the guard behind him nearly trip and stab the unfortunate animal with his spear. but the wolf apparently didn't care. He was too busy looking guiltily at his muddy pawprints that covered the red carpet, trailing behind him like an oversized shadow.

So as not to do further damage, the wolf stood very still and carefully wiped each of his paws on the expensive floor, the guards staring at him blankly.

Adelle smiled, trying desperately to keep her stoic attitude and not laugh. The wolf looked up at her.

"Um... we should probably go to the princess Zelda now," she remarked, and they continued walking.

The awkward silence lasted for perhaps ten more minutes, before they went up a spiral staircase and before a large door.

"The Princess wishes to speak to you herself," one of the guards said, staring at the two through his mask, "But not with the wolf."

Adelle considered this. What if they were going to imprison her companion? She wouldn't have that, something told her that she _was not to let harm come to the wolf._

"We won't do anything to your dog, kid," said one guard irritably, "He'll be on the fifth floor in his own room, alright? "

Adelle nodded slowly, pushing the door open and walking into the fabulously furnished room.

She turned her gaze from the guards and to the large, ornate writing desk facing the door. She knew very well who was sitting at the desk, but she didn't want to meet eyes with her in order to maintain her stoic attitude.

A sudden thought popped into Adelle's head.

_"She's waiting for me t_o _curtsy," _Adelle thought, cursing herself, _"But Din damnit, I don't know _how_!" _

Adelle had never been shown how to curtsy. Her mother didn't really expect much from her, and most certainly had never expected her daughter to be brought before Zelda due to a crime.

Adelle thought for a moment and decided a bow would suffice. She knew how to do that, and it sounded more dignified than a curtsy.

So the maid bowed deeply, eyes closed and face expressionless, praying to the goddesses that Princess Zelda would be satisfied with that.

"Rise," said a regal, commanding voice, and Adelle did, hearing a touch of amusement in the word and seeing this as a promise that the Princess would be a kindhearted person.

"You wanted to see me," Adelle said, still not meeting eyes with the person she adressed.

"I've heard some troubling things about you, Adelle," Princess Zelda said, sounding very calm, as if she was discussing the weather, "Is it true that you were practicing Dark Magic outside of Castle Town's gates?"

"No, your majesty," Adelle anwered automatically, staring at her feet.

"You are free to leave the Castle whenever you like, and you are free to leave Castle Town in a whole, but going unnanounced raises suspicions. That being said, I would like to know exactly _what _you were doing outside of these gates," Zelda responded.

Adelle was silent for a moment.

"I - I was feeding a wolf, your highness," she said, trying to make the statement sound as innocent as possible, "I've been feeding him since before the storms began, but at that point he was very wounded... so I stole some medicines from the infirmary for him along with some food from the kitchens."

"And for that I sincerely thank you with every ounce of my being," Zelda said quietly, making Adelle feel more confusion than she ever had. Her ruler was thanking her dearly for stealing from her castle and caring for some mangy old stray? Wolves killed livestock and hurt Hylians, yet Princess Zelda was thanking her for saving one's life.

Adelle had no idea how to respond to this, so she just said exactly what was on her mind.

"I don't understand," she said, blinking and finally meeting eyes with Princess Zelda.

Zelda sighed. "Perhaps it is better if you did not," she said, "You may leave,"

Adelle bowed again and left the room. Relief washed over her as she closed the door and walked down the hall to the staircase leading to the second floor. Zelda apparently wasn't holding any charges against her and was letting her go free, which was a huge load off her shoulders, but Adelle was a curious person. She wanted to know _why_. What was so special about the wolf that Zelda herself had ordered it to be treated like a guest? The wolf was obviously important, but Zelda had withheld from its caretaker exactly _why _it was so important. Adelle had her suspicions, but she only knew one person who could confirm that they were correct.

Adelle started down the staircase and went to find Bambi.

_**-{Insert Divider Here}-**_

**Pens: Was it good? Or was it bad? Or was it in between? Any spelling or grammar errors? Traces of Mary Sue-ness? Read and Review, and tell us what yal think! Go on! There's the button! Click it! CLICK IT!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Pens: Unfortunately, this chapter will not be featuring Paper, seeing as how we had a disagreement about the Twilight Saga, which I do not own, and would destroy completely if I did. Don't worry, I'll get her to answer the phone eventually. XD**

**Ahem... I do not own the Legend of Zelda series, for if I did, Midna would come back, she and Link would admit their feelings, Ilia would die, Multiple Skullkids would appear in random places, Zant would get ressurected and cured, and Spirit Tracks would dissappear entirely. That game was way too easy...**

**Now! On to the Chapter!**

_-{Insert Divider Here}-_

As Adelle walked through halls and down stairs, she was startled by a crackling sound, followed by a deep, booming echo that seemed to shake the floor she stood on.

_"So the storms are back," _she thought, dissappointed, _"Oh, well. We got a few hours of clear air, didn't we?"_

Adelle found Bambi in the kitchens, washing dishes and humming softly. She seemed completely oblivious to Adelle's presence.

_"She's either stupid," _Adelle thought, _"Or she's ignoring me."_

Several minutes passed before Bambi turned around.

"Hello, Adelle. What brings you here?" She asked, a calm, interested tone in her voice.

"I was hoping you could tell me something about your people's legends," Adelle answered mildly, hoping Bambi wouldn't be offended.

Bambi was. The girl turned back to the sink and started washing a dish stiffly, her eyes downcast.

"I don't know what you mean, Adelle. My people? What people?"

Adelle sighed, "The Gerudo. It's no use trying to deny it; your hair gives it all away."

Bambi put down the dish and leaned gainst the sink.

"Alright," she said in a low voice, "You got me. Most Gerudo who came here, to Castle Town, dyed their hair brown or black with a spell, but I was never very skilled in magic. Some of them even went so far as to turn their eyes different colors. But like I said, I'm not good at sorcery. I feel faint when I try to do even a tiny spell."

Adelle kept her stoic attitude, but in truth she was thouroughly stunned. She knew Bambi was a Gerudo; everyone with an ounce of sense in their body knew, but she would never had guessed there were more.

"So," Bambi said, "What did you need to know?"

Adelle snapped out of her thoughts. "What?" she said, before remebering why she was there. Oh. the question. Um... do you remeber my - er - dog?"

Bambi nodded.

"Well, Zelda seems to think he's something important. Do any of your legends mention wolves? Ones that are similar to the one I'm talking about?"

Bambi seemed deep in thought, then took a deep breath and said, "Lots of our legends mention wolves. They represent monarchy, because of their custom to be ruled by a sole alpha wolf, and they represent fear, with their tendency to steal livestock. But that's obviously not what you mean.

You're talking about wolves that are kind to people."

She wiped her hands off on her skirt,"There are a few stories like that, such as Kanu'luk, the Wolf Who is Human. And there's another one... it has to do with the bearer of a magical instrument able to control the fabric of nature.

"We share a belief with the ones of Twilight - the ones that invaded our world - that the Hero chosen by Din, Farore, and Nayru would first make himself known by taking on the form of a canine. Of course, no one believes this legend, seeing as how your people see wolves as evil, but to us Gerudo, a wolf with blue eyes is considered an omen of light. We used to see such wolves wandering around Castle Town. But after the Hero's defeat of Ganondorf, we stopped seeing the strange beasts. No one knew where they had gone. And so I inferred they had been hunted to extinction. That's all l can tell you." and Bambi turned back to her dishes.

Adelle's thoughts were racing. If the Hero appeared as such a wolf, it meant that there was someone who could help Hyrule overcome the disasters it was facing. He could find the source of the unearthly storms and destroy it. Adelle was now completely convinced that she had discovered a Hero. The wolf's refusal to kill any animals, Zelda's respect, how he appeared right after the Hero vanished; it all fit. So that meant she had found him. She, Adelle, had found the Legendary Hero Chosen by The Goddesses.

"Merciful Nayru," she breathed.

Adelle took a few moments to recover from the shock of her discovery before thanking Bambi sincerely and dashing off into the halls, heading for the fifth floor. Her feet flew accross the carpet and her brown hair streamed behind her, glimmering like a sheet of metal. she was filled with the desire to tell everyone she saw what she knew, to shout that the hero had returned, but she knew that she couldn't. The wolf would be overwhelmed by thankful adorers. Witch doctors, sorcerers, and those skilled in medicine would try to change him back to a Hylian by force.Some - more accurately, a few of those who had worked and fought for Ganondorf - might try to kidnap, imprison, or slaughter the canine in a power-thirsty lust for revenge.

It filled Adelle with a certain pride to think that the great Hero of Twilight owed her his life. After all, she had chosen to take pity on him and nurse him back to health, without really knowing who she was caring for.

As she climbed up the staircase to the fifth floor, she wondered what she would do when she finally got to the wolf's room. She felt an inclination to make sure the soldiers were treating him well, and to confirm he was no more harmed than when she and the wolf had been brought to Hyrule Castle, but she knew he was fine. What was she doing?

She paused for a moment. He was the Legendary Hero; he could take care of himself, yet she was full of the urge to make sure he was alright.

_"That's strange," _she thought, _"Why can't I just leave him alone? I feel like I have no choice in the matter. Like something's ordering me to do this."_

She dismissed her inclination to check on the wolf as a simple case of nerves_, _then continued up the staircase and towards the room guarded by two soldiers, their spears crossed across the door.

Upon reaching the two, she was greeted by the shorter one saying,

"Ho there! Who are you and what's your business here?"

"I'm Adelle," she said, "I've come to check on my dog."

She felt strange calling the Legendary Hero her "dog", but she was aiming to sound as innocent as possible.

The guards looked at her for a moment, then the taller one remarked, "That's her. Let her in."

They moved their spears and Adelle opened the door, walked into the room, closed it behind her, and nearly gasped at what she saw.

The wallpaper was a light cream, covered all over in gold accents, and the small chandelier hanging from the ceiling cast a soft light over everything. The blue certains were drawn tightly, explaining the room's dim atmosphere, in order to prevent anyone from accidentaly glancing at a window and seeing what occupied the chamber's ornate four-poster.

The silken sheets and down comforter were tousled, and all the beautifuly embroidered pillows had been thrown about in what looked like someone's attempt to get in a comfortable position. And there, his dark black coat looking completely out of place in the obviously royal room, was the wolf. He was lying there, partially covered by priceless silk and the finest cotton, his eyes closed and ears twitching, snoring loudly. His eyes darted back and forth behind the lids, and he let out a snarl when Adelle nudged him in the side.

He opened his blue eyes and fixed Adelle with a hard, icy stare that softened when he recognized her. He wagged his tail once in greeting and sat up, resting his chin on his paws. He gave her an inquisitive glance.

She was about to reach over and scratch him behind the ears, or run her fingers through his coat, but was suddenly reminded of who exactly the beast _was_, and deemed both of the actions and all others like it to be completely disrespectful in such a situation.

The canine seemed confused and taken aback by this, and he shoved his nose under her palm and gave a whine.

Adelle drew back her hand.

"You don't fool me, wolf," she said, "I know who you are."

The canine drew back and whined again, leaping off the mattress and fixing Adelle with a suspicous stare.

Adelle felt a little intimidated, but she had started her sarcastic "tough-girl" act, and she was going to keep it up until the wolf accepted that she knew what he was.

She forced a smirk and said, "That's right. I know your little secret," and then paused to let the tension build, "_Link_."

Most people would have ran at the sight of the wolf baring his teeth, but not Adelle. She and her wolf friend both knew that he owed her his life, and that he wouldn't dare lay a hand - paw - on her.

Flipping her legs over the edge of the fancy bed and swinging them back and forth, Adelle continued her speech.

"You don't scare me, either. If it weren't for me, you'd be a fly-bitten, half-dead stray in a week, a rotting, half-eaten corpse in two weeks, and finally, in a month, you would be a mere pile of bulbin-gnawed bones. Some of them might even be cracked open for the marrow, but you get the point."

The wolf looked disgusted at her choice of words, but nothing could deter Adelle now. She was on a roll.

"I found you alone, dying, and with a torn up leg. I had no idea who you were at the time, but I, out of the goodness of my heart, chose to care for you and feed you, risking my job and home in the process. I took care of a wolf. Wolves eat sheep, they kill horses, they take chickens and eggs from the hen-houses and steal livestock from the herds. But I still took care of you. Do you know why?"

Adelle stopped swinging her legs, and said, "Because I couldn't stand seeing you there, covered in blood, whining and whimpering and making little desperate struggles to get up. It was utterly pitiful."

The girl dropped from the high mattress and lay down on the carpet, resting her chin in her hands and propping herself up with her elbows.

"So what now, Link? Are you going to save our drowning country?"

The wolf glanced at the drawn curtains. His ears twitched at the booming sounds of thunder and the crackling of the lightning. Rain was hammering the windows, and Adelle even thought she heard hail. This pleased her immensely; it meant their conversation would not be overheard by the guards.

The wolf nodded.

Adelle knew he could understand her, but she still found it very uncanny to actually _see _the beast respond to her speech in a way that could not be labeled as coincidence.

"Well then," Adelle said, running her fingers throught the tassles on a pillow, "I'm coming with you."

The wolf looked at her, gave a small growl, and shook his head, his eyes giving her a look that firmly stated, "Absolutely not."

Adelle frowned, "Oh, yes I am, Mr. Important Hero, and there's nothing you can do to stop me."

The wolf's blue eyes then seemed to become full of depressed longing, as if what Adelle had said forced him to remeber something he would have liked to forget. Again, Adelle wanted to pet him or ruffle his fur, but she reminded himself who the wolf was and bit her tongue to keep from doing so.

"I don't suppose you have anything to pack?" Asked Adelle, raising an eyebrow and hoping to snap the wolf out of his nostalgic mood.

The wolf did not respond.

"Well then," Adelle said, and got up, "Take what time you have and use it to rest. We're leaving as soon as I get some things done."

Not waiting for a response, Adelle opened the door and walked out, closing it behind her. She turned to one of the guards.

"Sir," she said, and the soldier nodded, "Ask her Highness Princess Zelda If the wolf and I may leave Hyrule Castle. And... I'll need my weekly payment early."

The guard gave her a suspicous glance, but nodded, and she considered herself dismissed.

As Adelle walked away, she wondered what exactly she was getting herself into. She had always wanted to do something worthwhile, and finding the Hero of Legend seemed like Adelle's chance to do just that. But Hyrule was dangerous. It wasn't as it once was. It was infested with monsters, and bandits roamed the fields and forests.

Adelle cursed herself for being such a wimp. Her father was a soldier, as was her grandfather, and her great grandfather, along with her grandfather's grandfather. Her family had been proud soldiers for countless years. She wasn't about to back away from a chance to make a difference.

Adelle sighed and closed her eyes, trying desperately to calm her emotions and untie the knot that was tangled in her throat.

She leaned against the wall and took deep breaths. Minutes passed a she fought back painful memories and scolded herself for her childish tears. She was too old for crying. Only babies and toddlers were allowed to cry. Not twelve-year-olds like her.

Standing up and wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, Adelle assured herself she had made the right decision with the thoughts of, _"They would've been proud."_


	7. Apologies

Dear reviewers, followers, readers and friends:

I am very sorry that chapter seven is taking such a ridiculously long period of time to come out. I really am. I haven't died, nor have I abandoned this story, nor have I been kicked off of this wonderful website by my parents.

My user account on this computer has a virus. A very, very bad virus. It prevents me from using the internet, running scans, and pretty much everything else except Microsoft Word. I can't email chapter seven to Paper and have her publish it because the internet is completely and totally destroyed on that user account. I cannot download the chapter onto a friend's computer because of the chance that the files may be infected. Which they probably are. I apologize for the wait, but I really don't know too much about viruses or getting rid of them, so I suppose you'll all have to tolerate my stupid computer until the computer guy fixes it.

Once again, I'm very sorry, and I promise you all that chapter seven will be worth the wait.

Sincerely,

Pens


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